Kwankwassiyya Vows to Challenge INEC Over Omission of NDC Kano Guber Ticket from Final List
Kano/Abuja – October 12, 2026 — The Kwankwassiyya Movement has declared it will formally engage the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the electoral body omitted the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate for Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the final list of candidates for the 2027 elections.
Speaking on ARISE News, movement spokesperson Habibu Mohammed described the development as a complete shock.
He insisted there had been no prior issues with INEC, stressing that both candidates met all statutory requirements and deadlines.
“It came as a shock because there had been no issue with INEC. Kwankwaso is a former deputy governor, is registered with the NDC and met the stipulated deadline. Electoral provisions give candidates 14 days to seek redress if their names are omitted from the list. We will explore that opportunity and engage with INEC,” Mohammed said.
What the Final List Shows
INEC’s published final list of governorship candidates and running mates for Kano, signed by Commission Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, features 17 parties.
Notable names include incumbent Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Abacha Muhammed Sani of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). No NDC candidate appears on the document.
Gwarzo, a former deputy governor of Kano, emerged as the NDC consensus candidate with strong backing from the Kwankwassiyya Movement and its leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (who is himself the NDC vice-presidential candidate paired with Peter Obi).
Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former governor’s son and a former commissioner, was unveiled as the running mate earlier in the process.
The NDC has maintained that the candidates’ particulars were duly submitted through the commission’s portal within the required timelines.
Party officials have described the omission as likely an administrative error rather than a formal disqualification, noting the absence of any known court order or pending litigation that would bar the ticket.
Legal Pathway and Next Steps
The movement has specifically referenced Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provides a 14-day window for a political party to notify INEC in writing, accompanied by an affidavit, when a nominated candidate’s name is missing from the published list.
Kwankwassiyya has urged NDC leadership to pursue all available administrative and legal remedies promptly while calling on supporters to remain calm and avoid speculation.
Mohammed expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved, arguing that the candidates’ qualifications—particularly Mustapha Kwankwaso’s prior service as deputy governor—leave no legitimate grounds for exclusion. He added that INEC has so far offered no official explanation for the omission.
Broader Context Ahead of 2027
The development has heightened tension in Kano politics, where Kwankwassiyya retains significant grassroots influence.
Similar omissions of high-profile names have been reported in other states, including Gombe and Ogun, drawing wider attention to documentation, membership registers, and the administrative rigor of the nomination process.
As the 14-day redress period begins to tick, all eyes are on whether INEC will correct the Kano NDC ticket or provide a detailed justification for its absence from the final list.
The outcome could shape the opposition landscape in one of Nigeria’s most politically consequential states ahead of the February 2027 governorship poll.
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